Hala Bola Boracay PBA All-Star Weekend on May 18 to 22

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

BORACAY - Tara na sa Boracay for the biggest All-Star extravaganza in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) history.

The North squad, bannered by cat-quick guards Ginebra Gin Kings tandem of Mark Caguioa and Willie Miller, battles the South squad of James Yap of Derby Ace Llamados on May 22 in the "2011 Hala Bola Boracay All-Star Weekend" at the 1,400-seat fully-airconditioned Boracay Eco-Village Resort and Convention Center.

Mark Pingris and Kerby Raymundo of Derby Ace Llamados, Gabe Norwood of Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, Miller and Caguioa are the starting unit of the North Squad under coach Ato Agustin of San MiguelBeerwhile Erik Menk of Ginebra Gin Kings, Jay Washington of San Miguel Beer, Cyrus Baguio of Alaska, Kelly Williams of Talk 'N Text and Yap banner the South Team of Talk 'N Text mentor Chot Reyes.

Other North squad players are Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Arwind Santos and Alex Cabagnot of San Miguel Beer, LA Tenorio of Alaska Aces, MacMac Cardona of Meralco Bolts, Harvey Carey and Ranidel de Ocampo of Talk 'N Text.

Asi Taulava of Meralco Bolts, Jimmy Alapag of Talk 'N Text, Peter June Simon of Derby Ace Llamados, Danny Seigle and Dondon Hontiveros of Air21 Express, Joe Devance and Sonny Thoss of Alaska Aces also make it to the South squad.

On May 19, the PBA All-Stars will visit the nearby Carabao Island to conduct basketball courtpainting, coastal clean-up, mangrove planting and hospital visits before they will go back to Boracay via Puka Beach in the afternoon.

A 'Hug of War' composed of Mutya contestants, PBA players and tourists and two other beach games - sand castle making contest and three-on-three volleyball are also scheduled on May 19. A fashion show and dinner of 30 Mutya beauties and PBA players is slated in the evening.

In the morning of May 20, PBA All-Stars will conduct basketball clinic and visit the Ati community in Sitio Bulabog in Barangay Balabag before heading for the All-Star Skills Challenge events of three-point shootout, obstacle challenge, slam dunk competition and the Rookies versus Sophomores Blitz Game at 5:30 p.m.

A special attraction of the "Amazing Race" version called 'Hala-bolan' featuring teams comprised of a Mutya contestant or a showbiz celebrity and a PBA legend or player is on May 21.